


Death is Easy and Other Short Stories

by Beathas



Series: Bringing My Brother Home - Alternate Bat Family Universe [3]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Justice League - All Media Types, Nightwing (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics), Red Robin (Comics)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, F/M, Family, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Mystery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-20
Updated: 2018-10-10
Packaged: 2019-03-07 09:26:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,157
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13431798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beathas/pseuds/Beathas
Summary: Starting with a one-shot explaining why Batman does not kill, this will be a series of short stories, one shots, missing scenes, and head canons for the Bringing My Brother Home. Updates will be sporadic. Cross posted on Fanfiction. Will be marked Complete after each addition.





	1. Death is Easy - Jason, Bruce, Tim, Dick

**A huge Thank You to everyone who Reviewed, Favorited, and Followed my series!**

**Disclaimer: I am only borrowing the Bat family to practice my art.**

This story will be my one-shots, short stories, missing scenes, and head canons from the Bringing My Brother Home Series. It will be updated sporadically when I am struck with inspiration and write one of the above. A third story is started for the series, but it will probably be some time before it is ready for publishing.

I will probably not be as picky about grammar for these stories so they may feel a little rawer than the long stories. Please fell free to PM me with ideas. I will not promise to use your idea, but I welcome them as a source of inspiration. I will not write explicit stories or slash. I will rarely write romance at all.

Thanks in advance for all your wonderful ideas!

**Death is Easy**

**This story is set soon after the end of Bringing My Brother Home**

**Jason**

It had been a bad night.

For two months there had been some deadly drugs sold in the inner city. Besides several adults, there were twenty-three dead teenagers. Tonight, the bats had finally tracked down the lab creating the drugs. They had ruined the drug lord's night and closed the lab. It was not until the police arrived and began questioning the people in the lab that they discovered that most of the drugs were not deadly taken in moderation, but one man's work station was completely deadly. He had openly admitted he had purposely designed his work to kill.

It had taken all of Phoenix's mental strength not to strangle the man at once.

Before they were home, Tim had uncovered the man's history. A car accident, caused by a teen overdosing while driving, had killed his twin daughters. Neither had been driving, but they had been using. The man had repeatedly avowed someone had forced them to take the drugs, and laid all the blame on the parents of the other three teens in the car. The father had been crazy enough to try to sue the family of the only survivor, also the only one in the car who had not tested positive for drugs, but when that failed, he had vanished.

His reappearance had left twenty-three other families in mourning.

Some who had had a glimmer of hope that their family member would get clean, some who did not even know their child had tried it. One had even tried to walk away, but his friends had laughed and held him down to give him a taste. All four friends and their victim died on a phone camera held by a sixth friend who had gotten the only 'safe' baggie. Jason wanted to throw up.

"If anyone deserves death, it's that guy," Jason spat into the tense silence of the cave. Neither Tim nor Bruce replied, still hunting for further explanation.

"Our state doesn't have the death penalty," Dick pointed out wearily as he began removing Nightwing's armor.

"It should."

"That is not up to us."

"It could be," Jason muttered, "for people like him."

Bruce stiffened in his seat and slowly turned around. Under his anxious look, Jason wanted to squirm. Of course, Bruce was looking for evidence of the Lazarus Pit. Since the last time Tim and Bruce had adjusted his medication, Jason had not had a major episode. The Pit water had latched onto his body's anger hormones, and any time fury flooded him it gave them strength.

Jason had had to learn to curb his anger.

"It's not the Pit," he snarled at Bruce, aware it could become the Pit if he did not calm down. "It's different, B. I'm not out of control. I just don't understand why he'll be able to plead insanity. He knew what it felt like to lose a child to drugs, but he did it anyway. He deserves to die!"

"Yes, he does," Bruce agreed calmly. "But it is not our responsibility to be the executioner."

"Shouldn't it be? For those who truly deserve it."

"Where would you draw the line?" Batman demanded. "How would you judge someone who can't be stopped?"

"Those like this guy, without a cause, who just wanted to cause chaos because he was mad at the world," Jason retorted.

"But he had a cause," Tim interrupted. "He wanted to ruin the drug dealers' reputation and kill their consumers. He believed that would make drug users to afraid to risk it."

"His daughters were consumers. Besides, any addict takes a risk the moment they feed their addiction. He sentenced other families to share his pain, because he can't admit his daughters tried if for themselves!" Jason roared.

"Grief is illogical," Tim muttered, mostly to himself.

"Do you actually sympathize with him?" Jason asked aghast. "What about his victims? Some of them could have be rehabilitated."

"I don't sympathize, but I do pity him." Tim said softly. Jason shook his head, but turned away from his brother. Tim had grown up rich and sheltered. He could not understand.

"Bruce why?" Jason asked. "If he escapes, if he gets an insanity deal and gets out in 5 or 10 years, he'll just do it again. He can't be cured. You can see that! Explain how your Mission doesn't include the really terrible ones being removed."

Bruce was silent.

It was not the first Jason, or even his siblings, had asked, but Bruce had never answered, gaining this hardened look when asked, as if it hurt too much to explain. He grew angry when asked for an explanation. It felt wrong to Jason, as if he was guilty for not letting himself kill. It would have saved many lives if someone had executed the Joker after his first or second escape from Arkham. He always went on a killing spree, or made some convoluted plot. Hundreds would be alive. Jason would not have 'died'. And…

"If someone had killed Joe Chill after his first addiction related murder, instead of babying him, your parents would be alive," Jason snarled as his father figure.

He saw the words punch Bruce in the gut, the way Batman hunched forward as if he could not breathe. The man's anger faded into plain hurt. Just for a moment, before he drew Batman around himself. Bruce turned away back to his computer without a word.

"Jason!" Dick yelled, echoed by Oracle over the speaker. Tim sat staring at Jason with a disapproving flinch.

"When was your last booster?" Dick demanded as Tim turned to his tablet, looking anxiously at Bruce.

"This isn't the Pit!" Jason shouted. "I took a booster yesterday. This is really me, really asking this question."

"Jason, how could you say that?" Dick pointed out.

"He can't understand anything else. He doesn't know what it's like to take that final step. Oh, come on Dick," Jason sneered. "You know I killed for Talia, when I thought she was training me to be better than Bruce. I have killed several men. It's not too hard."

Dick shuddered and turned away. He may not have struck the killing blow himself, but he had not stopped his 'partner' from killing one of his Bludhaven Drug Lords. From what Jason could tell, it had ended any desire Dick had to step across that line. Cass had killed, but hers was actual murder, so Jason could understand why she followed Bruce's law so carefully.

As for Tim, he had never asked to the best of Jason's knowledge. Jason did not even know if Tim had an opinion on the matter. In fact, he seemed to be ignoring the conversation now. If he did ever decide it was the right thing to do, Jason realized, they would not even know they needed to stop him.

"Bruce, here," Tim said, putting his tablet over Bruce's keyboard.

Bruce looked down at it. He stared longer than he should have needed too, which brought out Jason's guilt. It had been an ugly blow to bring out Bruce's parents. Every newspaper on the east coast had well-documented the way the system had failed Joe Chill, letting him walk after a few years in prison after he killed another addict, not getting him the help he needed to get over his cocaine addiction, losing track of him among all the other parolees.

"What is this?" Bruce asked suddenly as Jason tried to stymie the swirling in his gut. "How do you know what this is?"

"I didn't understand why you kept this record until I looked closer at the dates. Then it made sense," Tim answered softly. "It explains why you have not executed a final judgement."

"How long ago did you find this?" Bruce asked.

"Six months after I started training. You said I could go into the Network, so I did."

"You broke the encryption on this after six months?"

"I already knew how to hack, B. Why are you surprised?"

"I'm surprised you didn't run, or call me out on it," Bruce answered.

Tim looked surprised. "Why would I? It made sense."

"I killed them, Tim. You understand that?"

"Of course."

Jason froze. Had he heard right?

"B?" Dick asked, voice shaking. "What is it?"

Tim frowned. "It's why Batman doesn't kill."

Bruce closed his eyes and leaned his head into his hand.

"B?" Dick asked again.

"I have killed, Dick. It was in self-defense, when I was training myself in Tibet. I had been playing the white tourist, and made myself an easy target. I was testing to see if the same things drew muggers all over the world; it did, but I was raw back then. They realized I had intentionally lured them in and tried to kill me. I had been training in martial arts for over a decade by then, even if most of it was at a Gotham karate studio. They only had street training. They never had a chance."

Tim was unmoved by this, Dick looked shocked and a bit afraid, and Jason was both horrified to know this, but wondering what about it had made Bruce afraid to kill.

"I don't understand. There's always a moment of grief after taking a life, but usually they deserve it. It should be easy to live with!" Jason exclaimed.

"That," Bruce said slowly, "is why I don't kill. Death is easy to live with. I could be a demon of vengeance and clean up Gotham that way, but where would I stop? What happens if I kill murderers, and one day think rapists too? And drug dealers? And robbers? What about the starved drug runner trying to make a dollar so he can eat?

"Or what if I clean up Gotham and find I can't let go of that power? I have given myself plenty of power, and that line is what keeps me from becoming the next Lex Luthor. Many of his plots have a valid concern or even address a real issue. The problem is that it must be done his way, or you are part of the problem. I am already an arrogant, strict task master. If I killed everyone one who committed even a violent crime, then I become a dictator. Batman is not meant to be merciful, but he must have one mercy, or any good Bruce Wayne can do with his money becomes a bribe on top of a threat.

"I believe there is a time to kill, but if I ever have to make that choice again, there has to be no other option. I think I would have to lay down the cowl if I did."

"Death is easy," Tim interjected. "Hope is hard."

"If we do not kill at least the worst, what hope do we have?" Jason replied.

"Do you think our actions have not brought hope? Crime has decreased by fifty percent since Bruce took up the cowl. It is nearly to the level it was before the Waynes' murder. Crime will never be gone, but we have stopped some, rescued some, even redeemed some," Dick pointed out.

"Some isn't enough," Jason sighed, thinking of his step mother, who might never have tasted heroin if there was no drug dealer around her middle-class school.

"We will never finish this mission," Bruce answered. "Death is easy, but it is not the fix."


	2. Moving OUt

Moving Out

I do not own the Bat Family, but am borrowing them to practice my craft.

Takes place in between Bringing My Brother Home and Bringing My Children Home.

Jason

Jason was restless.

After six months of living in Wayne Manor again, it had become more constricting than he expected. It was like when Talia had held him as a sort of prisoner as he recovered from his death and the insanity of the Lazarus pit. At times it felt like a gilded cage, although Bruce was so careful not to hover, not to cross the boundaries Jason decreed. Even if Bruce did not try to dictate Jason's life, as he had tried with Dick, it was harder than expected to live in his home. After Jason had gotten away from Talia, he had traveled as a free man for over a year.

A lifetime existed between fifteen-year-old Jason and nineteen-year-old Jason.

"Are you going to leave?" Tim interrupted Jason's reverie as he sat on the roof outside the attic gables. The teenager was leaning on the window sill, careful not to lean on the screen that Jason popped out to escape.

"What?" Jason asked with a fake laugh. "Why do you think that?"

"You are going out a lot more than you did at first. Is it because I take up so much of Bruce and Alfred's time?"

Right. Even six months after blackmailing the Drakes into giving Tim to them, the teenager still feared he had overstayed his welcome. The intensity of the anger that rose with that thought reminded Jason he was due for the medication Tim had created to keep the Lazarus Pit silent. Tim was what had kept him here. Had there not been a little brother with a serious self-esteem issue, Jason would have found a new place the first week he had felt the irritation with living in the same house with Bruce.

"Timmers, one day you will believe me when I saw Bruce can be overwhelming after being my own man for so long," Jason snorted. "The only reason I haven't done something similar to Dick and get an apartment out of the Manor is because I don't want to leave you."

A familiar surprise flashed over Tim's face. It hurt. Jason understood why Tim had not yet overcome the surprise of finding Bruce, Alfred, Dick, Jason, and Cass wanted the teenage boy as part of their family. His own family had not wanted him. There had been a similar surprise in Jason for the first few months of living with Bruce after surviving on the streets. Jason wondered if Bruce had felt the similar frustration with Jason's inability to believe.

"Dick lives in the manor almost half the time," Tim pointed out. "You'll probably do the same."

"Yeah, and if I move out, you can come over for a movie night and have as much junk food as you want. Even you need time away from Bruce 'I'm Batman' Wayne," Jason groaned.

"But Bruce doesn't really push you. He certainly has kept a close eye, but after everything, that can't be unexpected. Has he corrected anything you believe you did right?"

"Once or twice, but you are correct. He is being much easier on me leaving the nest than he was with Dick. It's not that Bruce annoys me at times. I annoy him right back. It's that I need some alone time, and no one is ever really alone in the manor. We are horrible at respecting personal boundaries," Jason groaned.

"That's why you come up here," Tim pointed out.

"You don't believe my reasons for wanting my own place?"

Tim paused and considered the question with his normal intense seriousness. He sighed.

"You want to be your own man. Even if Bruce mostly doesn't stick his nose into what you are doing, he still knows everything," a slight flicker of Tim's eyes betrayed his belief that Bruce didn't know everything, "and there are things you don't want him to manage."

"Not all of us can lie to Batman," Jason answered, reaching out to flick Tim's longish hair out of his eyes. "You need a haircut."

"Bruce said I can keep it longer," Tim retorted. "It's only a little longer than a professional haircut. When you break it to Bruce that you want your own place, can Cass and I go apartment hunting with you?"

Jason

"I understand," Bruce said stiffly. Jason had always believed him to be angry when he got that tone, but Cass had mentioned he was worried and hurt, not angry. With that in mind, Jason felt a little pang of guilt. "You'll still come home, here, often?"

"Of course, B," Jason replied with a smile. "I'm sorry I can't live here all the time. I don't want to hurt you or Tim, but I was my own man for over a year. I need that independence. Besides, Dick is in and out every week. Do you really think I won't do the same?"

"I understand, Jason," Bruce said earnestly. "I won't stop you of course. I've got your personal accounts set up, but you really haven't touched them since you came home. You own a five percent share in Wayne Enterprises, which makes you more than enough to live comfortably. I've given the same to Dick and Cass when I adopted them. Tim owns about ten percent because of the Drake Industries Merger."

Jason gaped at him. "Five percent of a multibillion-dollar company?"

"Yes. I set them up when you first became mine. When I thought you were dead, I kept the accounts open and paid the income out to the inner-city youth centers. When you came home, I did some reorganizing to set your income aside for you. I still donate to the youth centers, of course."

"You want me to live off you? I was going to find some sort of occupation."

"It's not living off me. You own those shares. They aren't in my name. Alfred insisted I do that, so I couldn't try to use money to control my children. It didn't go very well when I tried to use money to control Dick."

"It's my money?"

"Of course, I own 65 percent of Wayne Enterprises, Tim owns 10 percent, you, Dick and Cass each own 5 percent. Only 10 percent is owned outside the family. The Drake Merger turned out not to be the headache Lucius expected. The Drake Industries CEO, Neal Prinz, had managed things better than expected. We expect it will become profitable again within a couple of years, and that we will at least break even with the company this year. You don't really care about that," Bruce grinned.

"Ugh, Bruce, you know I never understood business. What do I have to do to manage the income?"

"Lucius has managed it for you up till now. He's spread the income out, so you aren't reliant just on WE dividends… we'll talk to Lucius."

"I don't know what to say, Bruce," Jason sighed. "I expected you would help me get on my feet, but this…"

"You're my son," Bruce answered simply. "Just… please don't go too far…"

"Nah, Tim and I were discussing where I should go. With Dickie on the outskirts in the old Haven city, Tim thinks I should be in Gotham's inner city. With Babs Clocktower in Old Town, near the University, that spreads us out. I guess when Tim gets independent he'll have to settle near the Business district."

Bruce scowled. "Not for several years, I hope. He doesn't need independence like you and Dick. He needs to be able to depend on us. I'm glad you've talked to him. Did he take it well?"

"There was a bit of fear that it was because he was living here, but I think I convinced him it was just me needing to be my own man."

Jason

It took Jason, Tim, and Cass two hours and three visits to find the apartment that worked. It was a new apartment complex under construction. As the company building it, was building it to sell, Jason found himself the owner of the entire complex and the President of the JTW Enterprises, INC, a subsidiary of Wayne Enterprises. Jason was able to buy it before construction was finished, allowing him to have the top floor renovated to his tastes, as well as putting in a secret personal elevator.

Money opened doorways and within a month, the complex was finished. With Lucius Fox's help he hired a manager, a couple maintenance men, four security officers/doormen, and an accountant/secretary. With a discount for rent offered them, they all lived in the building, which took up half of one of the six floors of rooms to rent.

In the meantime, Jason and his family built a bunker in the basement and walled off a portion of the roof for Jason's use only. Within two months of his decision to move out his penthouse suite was complete. It took up half the top floor, with the other half serving as his office space. (And lab, and med bay, and all the needs of a vigilante superhero.)

Only half the apartments were rented when Jason moved in, but between the reasonable rent, the security of the building, and its prime location, his manager believed they would have it rented completely before spring.

"I like this," Cass informed her family as they sprawled around Jason's living room after helping him move some of his belongings in. Alfred was in the kitchen, assuring himself that Master Jason had all the essentials of dinnerware, cookware, appliances, and food. "Bruce, build me one?"

"In time, we can look at doing something similar for each of you, but for now, Cass, you and Tim belong at the manor."

Cass pouted. "Please, B? I don't have to live there yet, but I want to have one built, so I have plenty of time to decide how things go."

Bruce sighed. "We will discuss it after we see how this goes for Jason."

"I like it, too," Dick said. "Maybe I should ask Lucius to see if my building is for sale. It's older, so I could have it renovated."

"Are you sure you have everything you need?" Bruce asked Jason, looking a bit upset by the delight his other children took in Jason's idea.

"I'm sure B, and who knows how short a time it will be before the solitude gets to me."

"Pizza?" Tim suggested from where he was still on the floor under Jason's desk. He had finished his task of setting up Jason's computer and entertainment systems but had decided he enjoyed the feel of plush new carpet and remained lying down under the desk.

"I already ordered," Babs replied with a smile. "Alfred likes me."

So, Jason's first night in his apartment was shared by everyone in his family camping out for the night, after moving him in.

Jason

Two weeks was enough for Jason, and he popped up at the manor after a patrol.

"Staying the night?" Bruce asked calmly, but his little smile showed how happy he was.

"Yeah, I need an Alfred meal or five. I told you I would be in and out. Just because I have my own place doesn't mean this isn't my home too."

"Jay!" Cass came racing down the stairs. "Staying?"

"Yes, Silent Ninja. What happened to your nails?"

"Prank. Dick invented nail polish that changed colors when you wash your hands. It was payback. I replaced his annoying shirt with a batgirl one."

Jason stared at his sister's hands with the ugliest shade of yellow he had ever seen. Cass enjoyed the trappings of female life, but although she liked brighter, sunny colors, she despised mustard yellow. Her nails were chipped, indicating it had been several days since her nail polish had been applied.

"Does it not come off?"

"I'm not giving him his shirt back until he gives my real nail polish back. This is to remind him."

"What are the scores, Timmers?" Jason hollered.

"Oh, hey Jason. Bruce is still leading by one point. Dick is losing by only two. Cass and I are tied for second and you and Babs are tied for third."

Jason grinned. It was good to be home, to have a safe, quiet place to retreat, to have the best of both worlds.

Jason was Content.

Thanks for reading! Reviews and Favorites make my day!


	3. The Bat Cat(s)

The Bat Cat(s)

Takes place a few weeks after the end of Bringing my Children Home

Bruce

Thanksgiving had been over shadowed by the funeral for Jack and Janet Drake. Tim had been on autopilot, Damian had received a video letter from his mother disowning him, and the day's celebrations had been muted. Alfred and Crystal had cooked a glorious meal, Bruce left Gotham to Oracle's watch, and for once the city was quiet enough not to call one or all the Bats to the street. They had used the day for rest and comfort.

Christmas was only a month later, but it was proving to be far cheerier.

A heavy snowfall starting early Christmas Eve Morning soon brought Gotham to a standstill. The Waynes' only scheduled public holiday appearance was canceled within a few hours. With their customary preparedness, all shopping was done before Christmas Eve. Bruce made a single attempt to patrol but was home within an hour as the snowfall became a blizzard.

Alfred and Crystal, who had been convinced to stay overnight in her daughter's room, had spent Christmas Eve cooking. The six Wayne children had kept the house alive with laughter as they finished wrapping presents, interrupted the bakers to steal cookies, and expanded their energy from no patrol in games, and wrestling. Bruce tried to work in his study for a few hours, but half an hour into his attempt, the sudden silence drew him out of his study, to discover a Bat-family version of hide and seek was being played in the Manor.

Within minutes he had been roped into the game.

Christmas Eve Night was spent in enjoying normal sleep hours, in watching for family members sneaking their presents into the Family Nest Room where their personalized Christmas tree had been set up, or sneaking said presents into the room. Dick was the only one nearly everyone caught making presents appear.

Even Stephanie tricked Tim, whose presents appeared last. Since Alfred and Crystal did not take part in the teleporting presents, but put theirs under the tree in dignified manners, Bruce was the only one who did not put his out in the middle of the night. Instead, to Tim's disgust, he waited to appear in the family room last, bearing a stack of neatly wrapped gifts, two kittens, and the alarm Tim had put in Bruce's room to catch Bruce in the act of sneaking presents.

With all the activity of the night, it was little surprise that everyone slept in. It was eleven in the morning before everyone was awake, fed, and in the Family Room. There were plenty of gifts to go around, from the childish gag gifts, to the satisfying fulfilled requests, and the unexpected perfect gifts. In the latter category, the two kittens were the most admired. These were given to Stephanie and Damian.

"You're getting soft, B," Dick protested. "You are getting old!"

"Cats are far more self-sufficient than dogs. Moreover, Stephanie and Damian are more responsible than you were at twelve. Neither are likely to leave their pets' care to Alfred and Crystal," Bruce replied calmly.

While most of Dick's siblings roared with laughter at his expense, Damian's little black kitten was startled and burrowed into the boy's too large pajama shirt. When the preteen's surprisingly gentle fingers rubbed the soft head, the cat decided his new master was safe. It curled up in Damian's lap, nipping at the fingers, until they were caught by two small paws. A little, rough pink tongue lapped at the finger tips.

It looked disapprovingly at the older three brothers, who had started a wrapping paper war, sending Stephanie's calico kitten up onto her shoulder. After primly reviewing the humans, the calico decided Stephanie was the best choice, although she allowed Cass to touch her head for a few moments.

"I'm naming him Alfred," Damian decided.

Tim and Jason rolled into spasms of laughter, Dick, who had been buried under Tim's torso when the announcement came, demanded what was going on, Cass and Stephanie gave approving smiles, and Bruce sputtered weakly. Fortunately, after a few commanding looks at Bruce, Alfred, the human, smiled benevolently at Damian.

"I am honored to share my name with your friend. However, you should know that your kitten is a she. Your father was not interested in having a male and female cat in the house, despite scheduled vet appointments to spade them."

Damian frowned, lifting the fluffy black kitten into the air to look, as his older brothers laughed weakly from the remnants of the wrapping paper.

"She is perfectly fine with the name," the twelve-year-old decreed.

This time, everyone laughed. Damian scowled at them, but before he could spit any of his wordy vitriol at them, his kitten nuzzled his chin trying to hide from the raucous laughter. Instantly the glare was gone, and all his attention was on the little creature. Bruce gave Alfred a grateful nod. He had been concerned about giving his assassin raised son a living creature, but Alfred had suggested it would make Damian more respectful of life.

"I am naming my girl, Patches," Stephanie said. "Patches, the Bat-Cat."

Bruce groaned, but Dick and Stephanie high-fived.

Alfred the cat, soon called Alfie by the family, and Patches the Bat-Cat, were litter mates, and did not meet each other again with the hissing and yowling of two stranger cats, or two older cats. While both soon had the run of the house, Patches was not the adventurous Bat-Cat, preferring the bedroom areas, where she devastated the local spider population. Alfie however, soon had explored everywhere and even made it down into the cave, where she would accompany Damian to listen to the comms on patrol nights. While Patches kept the Bat-Cat title despite avoiding the cave, Alfie soon shared this honorary title. She was far friendlier than her sister, who only liked Stephanie and Cass, tolerated Damian and Tim, and despised the rest of the household.

Bruce's only regret in allowing the pets was that Dick renewed his requests to get a dog to keep at the manor.

Damian looked intrigued by the idea.

My life is insanely busy right now. It's good kind of busy, but I am always exhausted when I get home and have limited time to write. I may not always be able to reply to comments this summer, since we have a few extra things happening at work. Thank you for comments, favorites and follows! I will try to reply to comments when I am able. Thanks for reading!


	4. My Father's Place

My Father's Place

It has been a while since I last posted. I have had a very busy summer with a major project at work, so writing did not happen much. I hope you all like my two new one-shots.

Takes place a few months before the start of Bringing My Children Home.

Tim

Cass was having a sleep over with Babs and Stephanie, Dick and Jason were both in their apartments, Alfred had vanished into his private Alfred space, and Tim was discovering that the Manor felt enormous when he was alone.

It was Spring Break, and Tim had spent the previous four days in San Francisco with the members of the old Young Justice in the empty teen titans building. They were still settling it with the former Titans, and no clear leadership had emerged. It had been fun, as there had not been anything to do besides explore the tower and discuss if the legal rights to the Titan's merchandising were included in the contract that would sign the tower over from the original Titans. It had been a good long weekend, with the old hurts from the dissolution of Young Justice fading away.

The whole family, including Stephanie, had been together the evening before when he got home, but the loud, late night had sent Dick and Jason scrambling away to recharge in their apartments. Spring Break brought out some of the crazies. Tim was under strict orders to take the week easy, after a hard case in which Robin had stumbled into a human trafficking route while looking into the case of a missing teenager. Not that he had not reviewed the existing cases from the others, but he had not looked for his next main case.

He meandered around the house for a couple hours looking for secrets, tried to start a chat with a couple boys from his school with whom he had started playing an online video game, and snuck into Jason's bedroom to see if his older brother had set any new traps for pranks. None of these produced anything to do, and by midday Tim was bored as well as lonely. Having the manor to himself was too much like the lonely days he had spent in Drake Manor.

Alfred was not to be found, so Tim called a cab, and sent a text to Alfred and Bruce to let them know he was going into town. The first time he had ever stayed over at the Manor for a few weeks, Tim had gone into town on his own without telling them. It had never occurred to him that he needed to let them know, after spending years going where he wanted without input from his parents or housekeeper. When he got back, Bruce had been searching for him, had even called Dick. Although it felt a little overkill nowadays, since Bruce made him keep a tracker after that, their worry made him let them know if he was leaving the manor.

It had been oppressing at first. Tim had been running around the streets of Gotham, in the middle of the night, with no supervision since he was a little boy. Gradually he had come to understand they needed to know they had not lost another Robin. Now, he thought they wanted to know they had not lost Tim.

After he had wandered through a few city blocks, looking for trouble and not finding it, he gave up.

Bruce was at Wayne Enterprises. Tim had dropped in on him several times over the years, but never by himself. He wanted to see Bruce. It might have been the emptiness of the manor that morning, but after a brief argument with himself, he caught another cab to Wayne Enterprises.

The clean lobby was busy with people coming and going, but when one of the receptionists saw Tim, they smiled and nodded their head towards the security entrances. He was unfamiliar with the security guards on duty, but the receptionist told them to let Tim.

"It's one of Mr. Wayne's kids," She explained. "Would you like me to call up, Timothy?"

"Uh, no. I'll just go on up. If Bruce isn't busy or isn't around, I'll hang out in his office for a little bit," Tim replied. He held his breath, waiting to be told to go home.

"I'm sure it will be a pleasant interruption," she said.

There were no glares telling him he did not belong, no one asked why he thought he could do what Dick, Jason, and Cass did all the time. Warmth flooded his chest. He would never have dared to go near Drake Industries to see his dad. Here, it was expected he had the right to visit Bruce.

A large grin stuck to his face as he rode the elevator up to Bruce's floor.

This was the main hub of the most important officers of the company. Lucius Fox was having a small meeting with a couple department heads, Neal Prinz was enjoying his rise in stature to the managing CEO of Drake Industries, and Bruce's elderly receptionist/executive assistant was ruling the cubicles of the various assistants to the officers. No one batted an eye at Tim's presence.

"Ah, Tim, it is good to see you," Miss Julie said. "How is your spring break going?"

"It's going well, Miss Julie. I got to go on a trip with a few friends from out of town. Dick and Jason and Cass are all busy today, so I thought I would check in with Bruce," he said, in a quiet, sheepish voice. "Is he busy?"

"He says he is, but I suspect he's playing solitaire and avoiding the papers Mr. Fox needs signed. Go rouse him," She said kindly.

"Just go in?" He asked in false surprise. His first visit to Bruce had labeled him as shy, and Julie always responded well to the image. Most of Wayne Enterprise's upper echelon responded well to a shy teenager. They all liked Dick and Jason, but the variety kept them interested.

"Of course, honey. He'll be so surprised!"

That was unlikely. Bruce probably knew he was coming before he made it through security. With a little smile for the old woman, Tim softly knocked on the door.

"Come in!" Brucie shouted. When Tim opened the door, Brucie was trying to hide his desktop where a fake game of solitaire was up. "Timmy! This is a good surprise! Have you come to rescue me from the mountain of paperwork?"

"Hey, Bruce, I was bored and wondered if I could hang out here?" Tim replied in a stronger voice, before he shut the heavy door and closed their conversation off from the curious employees.

"Of course, you can, if that's what you're really here for," Bruce dropped to his normal voice.

"It really is. The manor was too empty," Tim explained, ignoring the flame of embarrassment.

"I do have a few things to do here, but we could go to lunch in an hour," Bruce offered.

"That would be great!" The teenager felt the last of his concern melt away. Bruce was glad to see him here, even on his own. "Is there anything I can do?"

"Nothing bat-related, I'm afraid. It's all real Wayne Enterprise work this morning. If you want to look at these Wayne Tech Contracts, you can. Tell me what you think. You can use that tablet."

With a grin, Tim took the tablet and found the contracts for a couple chain stores interested in purchasing Wayne Tech. Bruce was busy reading and signing documents on his main tablet, but he always paused to answer the few questions Tim came up with. Just being there, lying on the leather couch where Dick and Jason had lain in their years as Robin when they were hanging with Bruce, was enough to ease the tension of the empty manor.

A few internet searches let him review the companies, a couple texts let him get some feedback from a couple of his superhero friends who lived in areas with those stores, which allowed him to make a few comments on the contracts. He sent it to Bruce and went searching through Wayne Enterprises Main Frame for fun.

"Hm, these are some good ideas," Bruce interrupted his nosing into HR files. He set his tablet down and looked curiously at Tim. "Are you interested in this?"

"Sure," Tim shrugged. "It was a good exercise of investigation. Not a deep one, by any means, but I trust Wonder Girl's opinion of Leading Tech stores more than a few internet reviews."

"I know your parents wanted you to get into business, but is it something you want?"

"Maybe. Why?"

"Neither Dick nor Jason are interested in this, but you leapt right into it. If you would like, you could come by once a week to learn about the company and how it works. You don't have too, of course, but if you wanted to, it's an option."

"Could I play around too? I've wanted to see Research and Development again. It was fun to work with them for those couple weeks last fall, when we were working on the strength of the bat-Kevlar you and I came up with.

Bruce grinned. "I think R&D will enjoy having you around. It would give me an excuse to come around there more often as well. As Bruce Wayne, I can't give intelligent input on things, but must give input as Dr. Peter Bredon through consulting emails. I am glad you aren't going to play the fool as well."

"We need one genius in the family," Tim grinned. "I still can't believe no one has figured out that Dr. Peter Bredon, with a PHD in engineering, is an alias for someone."

"Lucius doesn't know where it comes from, although he is aware I used the alias to go to college as a teenager. Alright then, we'll have one playdate a week. When summer comes we can add some more, and you'll be a senior next year, so your high school schedule will allow for a few free afternoons to come here," Bruce said. "It'll be good to have one of my kids involved with me here."

"I'll be working you?" Tim asked.

"Of course." Bruce replied, as if there was never any question.

Tim glowed with delight. He wanted nothing more than to follow this man's footsteps now. He owed Bruce so much, and Bruce was still giving him time.

Tim

"Dick, Jason, guess what?" Tim leapt off the stairs onto Jason's back. "Guess what I am going to be doing?"

"Hopefully eating more," Jason replied, reaching up to poke Tim's ribs. "You don't weigh more than Cass."

"I'm fifteen, Jason. It's normal to be skinny," the teenager protested. "Come on, make a real guess."

"You got asked to be class president?" Dick suggested.

"School's almost over for the year, Dick. Class elections were a while ago."

"You are going to build a skateboard park in the back yard," Jason offered.

"Nope. I'm going to be visiting Bruce at Wayne Enterprises. I'll be learning about the company, playing with R&D, and even helping Bruce with some of his paperwork. They shouldn't call it paperwork anymore, since most things are on tablets these days. Bruce said you guys didn't want to do it, so I could try."

Dick laughed and tugged Tim off Jason's back to loop an arm around his neck.

"Bruce was going to rope one of us in sooner or later. It makes sense that it would be you."

"He's going to show me some of the stuff himself, even though it means it might take longer!"

Dick beamed on Tim, ruffling his hair. Jason, however, frowned.

"How did he talk you into that?"

"Everyone was gone today, and I didn't want to be here by myself, so I went to visit him at Wayne Enterprises, and he gave me something to do before we went to lunch, and he said I had good ideas and…" Tim was aware he was babbling, but he could not contain his excitement. Bruce was sharing something else with Tim. It was another promise that this was Tim's family.

"So, you showed up and he threw work at you? That's wonderful," came Jason's dry reply.

Tim shut up. He was not sure if Jason was tired or mad. Maybe the old resentment that Tim had been given Robin was rising again. It might be that Jason wanted some of Bruce's time as well. Had Tim taken too much from Bruce this time?

"I think it's great, Tim. You and Bruce work great together," Dick cheered, but glared at Jason over Tim's head.

"Bruce is just using Tim to ease some of his burden," Jason sighed. "Tim, you don't have to do this."

"I know that," Tim said in a quiet voice. "Bruce already said that."

Jason pinched the bridge of his nose as Dick scowled at him. "Dick, you can't approve of this. Bruce is doing what the Drakes did. Just using Tim because he's there."

"Jason, you know that's not true," Dick answered, pulling Tim closer as the teenager's shoulders drooped.

"Do you think he doesn't really want to give me that time?" Tim asked Jason.

Jason's face fell. "No, Tim, that's not what I meant! Of course, Bruce wants to spend time with you. I just don't want him to use it to manipulate you into the business world. It may be much kinder than your parents' orders, but it feels like the same thing."

"I really want to do it, Jay. Can't I try?" Tim asked cautiously.

"It's not Jay's choice," Dick interjected, "it's your choice, Tim."

Jason looked confused. "You really want to do this?"

"Yes. I did a little today, and it felt like an accomplishment. Bruce isn't making me do this, I promise. Do you not want me to do it?"

"Jason, I think we need to talk," Dick said harshly.

"I'm not a child, Dick," Tim protested. "If it hurts Jason, I shouldn't do it."

"It's not me I'm afraid is going to get hurt," Jason replied cautiously. "I'm sorry if you feel like I'm mad at you over it. If it's really something you want to do, if Bruce isn't running rough shod over you, then you should do it."

Tim frowned, perfectly aware that Jason was still upset, and that Dick was mad at Jason.

"It has nothing to do with me, Timers," Jason continued. "It's not something I want to do."

That felt honest. Why did it matter if Bruce wanted Tim's help with his business? It was not like he was making Tim do it, like his parents had tried to do.

"I want to give it a try," Tim said softly, hopefully.

"Then you should give it a try," Jason replied with a small smile.

"I'm going to," Tim said, watching for any anger or hurt. Jason merely nodded, a little worried, but not angry with Tim.

Tim

Although Jason was not comfortable with the new arrangement, he refused to let Tim do what he wanted. The first few visits were a little tense, and Tim tried not to talk about it, in case its irritated Jason. He could not help it, because Bruce and Dick encouraged him to talk. Cass asked a few questions, Alfred quietly praised his little accomplishments. Bruce was never irritated on his weekly visits.

Stephanie made a joke about Tim being Bruce's obvious successor and heir for Wayne Enterprises. She seemed to believe it, but Bruce was open with how things were set up. All three of his adopted children, and Tim himself, had each been given five percent of Wayne Enterprises. Since Bruce also settled the five percent of Wayne Enterprises that had been Drake Industries on Tim, Tim really did not need to receive the five percent as well, but Bruce pointed out that this was not from Bruce, but his inheritance from his parents.

Tim had tried to ask Bruce to split it with the others but had not been allowed. Jason and Dick laughed at his worries about having more than the others. With just a five percent share they were millionaires, which was more money than either had considered possible to have when they were little. Cass had said that if she happened to lose her money, she would just have to live off Tim. It was supposed to be a joke, but even if Tim laughed at it, he decided to make sure he would be able to share is something happened.

One of the first things he went over with Lucius Fox was how to manage the investments. He already had a basic understanding of investments and trusts, since money was so often the cause of a murder, but Lucius gave him some tips. Tim asked to be allowed to use some of his income from his shares to make other investments. Within a couple months he had a working knowledge of what he was doing.

It was a world he thrived in. His investigative skills proved a good match for business. Soon Lucius and Bruce were involving him in their planning committees and letting him make suggestions. Before summer came, Lucius was calling him a prodigy.

All along, he was working with Bruce again, not just as Robin, but now as Tim. Jason was concerned sometimes, but when he saw that Tim was happy, he quit asking if Tim really wanted to work in Wayne Enterprises. Although Tim did not quite understand what Jason had been upset about, his brother's respect for his choice was delightful.

Tim was happy in his father's place.

Thanks for reading! I would love to know what you think.


	5. Words

Words

I do not think I address much of Cass's history in my main stories, at least so far. I hope this give a bit of insight into my version of Cass.

This takes place before Bringing My Brother Home, when Cass was first learning to talk.

Cass

The first word to make sense to her was brother.

She could repeat the words, but their meaning did not connect. They were as alien as Martian Manhunter. If she was honest with herself, she had not understood the need for words. Not until the mind reader gave her words and took her language of movements, of breaths. Words had been overwhelming, and she had felt deaf because it had taken few weeks for her brain to adjust to understanding how other people communicated. Her first language did come back to her when she had adjusted, but it had been a terrifying few weeks.

Even before that had happened, there had been a few dozen words that connected.

The first was brother.

It was soon after Oracle had given her Batgirl, after Batman had read her language and she could 'talk' back to him. Dick and Tim were around often, curious about her. They felt sad for her, because they felt she was lost. She did not feel lost, but she had understood the curiosity. She was curious about them.

They could read her to a limit, and they had been able to intentionally communicate back to her once they grasped the basics. It was limited compared to what she could do with Batman, but it made her happy. Their insistence on teaching her words was not so pleasant. She did not like feeling weaker and stupider.

Learning to mimic was easy. It was all movements, different than what she was used to, but still just movement. The meanings, however, tended to elude her. Tim had been around much more than Dick, so he had understood her frustration. He had then tried to show her emotion with his body while saying the word, but the words that went with the emotion did not stick.

What did stick was that Tim made her happy. He gave to her, shared everything he could, respected her, and wanted her. Bruce and Barbara were the same, but to have someone of her age give her so much time was special. So, when he would come visit her, she would feel that happiness.

Then Tim went missing overnight during a patrol and she had been so afraid. At one point they had believed he had been killed by Killer Croc. Nightwing had nearly killed the Joker in response, but Batman had stopped him and found proof that Robin was still alive. When morning brought Robin out of his hiding place in the sewers, she had been happier than ever.

Dick has also been filled with that happiness, and had hugged Robin over and over, saying "I was so worried, Little brother, I can't lose you, little brother." Brother was the happiness of Tim, the attention, the care, the time. So, Brother stuck

Cass

Although there was a language barrier between her and the others, they were able to work out intent.

Her father had taught her intent, but she had always had to watch him closely to find the lie. They were different. They made every effort to share their thoughts. Only sometimes they tried to hide, to not let her see.

It frightened her when that happened. It had always meant something unexpected was coming with her father. Yet, the unexpected that came with them was not painful, or unkind. Sometimes it was because they wanted to give her something, and she soon learned to read that intent. Sometimes it had nothing to do with her, like when they remembered their hurts and losses. Sometimes, it was because they were afraid of her.

That was how she learned the word brave.

Fear was familiar, both in others, and in herself. She had long ago learned not to allow fear to show. Batman and his worked hard to do the same, and she knew sometimes it had to get by her. Robin and Spoiler were the most obvious. Although Robin's tells were smaller, subtler, they were still obvious to her.

It puzzled her why they could both be afraid, but Spoiler's tells were loud and obnoxious, while Robin's were small twitches, eyes growing wary. It was written in their movements. Not just of her, but all their fears. There were times they would enter a fight or take on a job that they were not confident they could do, yet they put themselves there to learn, to prove they could.

There was the bravery.

They were afraid of her abilities, but they did not run away. They reached out, offering what they could. When Batman finally worked out how she had been raised, and what had made her flee, he told the others. She was sick to her stomach but knew they should know.

It was not fear and disgust that their bodies said. It was awe and respect. By now they had learned ways to teach her and communicate.

Nightwing came over and pressed his hand against her chest. "Brave."

Clarity fell upon her, as she understood the word. He was calling her brave. She had never felt this way before. All HIS training had ended with a 'good enough' nod. Now here was praise.

Brave.

Cass

It was not until after the mind reader reordered her mind that she understood safety.

There had been no such thing in her life before. There had always been another attack coming, another bullet, another fight, another deadly skill. Sleep had to be done with senses prime. Food had to fought for. Every moment she had to be alert and ready. She had learned to do that, until it had become part of her, and she never thought it was different.

When the man, trying to thank her, reached into her mind, and tugged whatever threads he found, words connected, but for a time she lost her first language. Within minutes she became completely lost and had to signal for help. Every single person in Batman's family showed up. Batman, Nightwing, Robin, Spoiler, even Catwoman.

It was completely confusing, because they were all talking, and normally she just ignored the noise, but with their movements conveying nothing, she began to cry. A word popped to mind, one that had always meant family was in danger.

"Help."

Her sobbed word silenced them all, because she did not speak outside of her speech therapy.

"Batgirl?" Batman asked.

"Help. Gave words. Not see," and she gestured at them.

"Someone gave you words?"

She nodded.

"But now you can't read body language?"

She did not know what language meant then, but body and read connected. She nodded.

"I am going to pick you up, Batgirl. We are going to take you home."

And he did, explaining everything he was doing. At first it was confusing, but when Nightwing tried to take her mask off without telling her, she panicked. Batman pushed him aside.

"We want to see your face and eyes, so we can make sure you are not hurt."

She looked up at him and understood the word Father. He was telling her what she could not read.

Gently he pulled her mask off, and then explained each examine they did. Kind Man came, and she learned his name was Alfred, a word that had never connected. Robin and Spoiler hovered nearby, pulling mask and hood off, gazing at her.

"Cass, can I hold your hand?" Spoiler asked.

"Why?"

"Because it might make you feel better, because it means I care."

Cassandra tilted her head, curious about this, while Alfred checked her eyes again. After a moment, she held her hand out and her friend took it. Warmth spread from her hand, up her arm, into her chest. Some of the tension in her shoulders eased.

"Cass, we may have to ask Leslie to schedule an MRI," Bruce said. "Go get changed. Would you like Stephanie to come with you, so you are not alone?"

"Stephanie," Cass said quickly, tightening her grip on her friend's hand. She did not understand why, but with Stephanie it would feel right.

In the changing room, Stephanie chattered to Cass while choosing a soft pair of black pants and a huge yellow t-shirt that belonged to Jason. Cass was glad to turn her back and know Stephanie was there by her voice, but not feel confused by the signals her friend's body was giving off. It was good to be with another person. Once in the comfortable clothes, Cass returned to the main cave. Alfred was cleaning, Tim was tapping the keyboard at his workstation, and Bruce was putting his cape and cowl on the rack Alfred kept for the items that might need cleaning or repair.

She could not understand any of them. She froze in the doorway and stared at her family. When her body began to shudder, Stephanie was there, wrapping arms around Cass. Naturally the movement attracted the attention of her Father-figure and brothers. Dick began whispering to Oracle over the phone, while Tim just watched her. Vaguely she understood Tim was trying to read her in the way she could not read him now, but his quiet gaze made her flinch.

Then Bruce was there, standing in front of her, hiding her brothers from sight. He was tall, her head barely reached his shoulder, so her eyes were level with his chest, where the black bat symbol spread out. She could focus on that sight, on what it stood for. He stood between her and the unknown.

"Is it all right if I hug you, Cassandra?" He asked. She looked up at his face and saw something there. She did not have the word for it, but it made her nod and she leaned against his strong chest. Peace filled her. Here, in her real Father's arms, nothing could hurt her. The Bat would spread his wings to cover her, the man would not shoot her or beat her to teach her. The father would not let her sire have her back.

"You are safe here, Cass," Bruce whispered into her hair. "I promise you are safe here and you will be all right."

Safe.

She had heard Batman, Nightwing, Phoenix, and Robin say that to victims rescued by the vigilantes, but it had been a mere sound until that moment. As she relaxed into Bruce's arms, she knew he would protect her. There were no surprises waiting for her when he carried her upstairs to her room. He would ask Stephanie to stay with Cass overnight. He would go with her to Leslie's clinic and help her understand what they were doing. Nothing would be done to harm her, only heal her.

Cassandra Cain had never been safe from the moment of birth. Cassandra Wayne knew safety was Bruce's strong arms, Dick's family times, Jason's loud defenses, Tim's quiet teaching, Alfred's gentle care.

Safe was a good word.

I have a few more ideas floating around, but it will take time. I am a working adult with a chronic illness, so I do not give myself time constraints on writing, because I cannot be sure when I will have enough energy and lack of pain to be able to type.

I always welcome feedback. Thanks to all who favorite, follow, and review in my hiatuses.


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